"Her easily-driven hull hit 12 knots powered  by a 3.5hp outboard, and she felt stable and safe under way... plenty of room for passengers and gear..." PBO, August 2009 edition (click here for full article: Practical Boat Owner Reviews the Nestaway Trio) "A highly practical boat and an ingenious design" WATERCRAFT MAGAZINE, Sept/Oct 2009

  

Our latest model is 14 foot long, can be paddled, rowed, motored or sailed, and splits into
three nesting sections that will fit in the back of an estate car or small trailer for easy transport. Drawn to our specification and design, she will take three adults (or two plus
two children) for a nice day out on the river, or has plenty of space for a couple of blokes
and their gear on a fishing trip. She is primarily a "motor canoe", with a transom at the stern, but her long, lean shape is very easily-driven and also makes a fine rowing boat.

We have also developed a sailing rig for the Trio, with a high-peaked spritsail (and no boom to bash your head on). The mast attaches to the forward bulkhead with the addition of a bolt-on support beam, and the leeboards fit over the gunwhales, so it is possible to "retrofit" if you have purchased a Trio hull without the rig.  She's obviously not a racing machine, but her easily-driven hull is very quick to pick up speed off the wind, and she will make progress to windward. Great for exploring: "Swallows and Amazons Forever!"

With no standing rigging to attach, the rig is very quick to assemble. This also allows the mast to rotate freely, so that the tension of the sprit is not changed when you tack. If the wind drops - or increases above what you are comfortable with - a brailing eye in the leech (aft edge) of the sail is provided so that you can de-power the whole rig, collapsing the sail into the mast without having to lower it. This leaves the interior of the boat clear of the sail etc, so that you can row or motor on to your destination. The cream sail and varnished pine spars look rather pretty too!

Click here for: Trio Prices

Trio Engine Capacity

We are often asked if the Trio can take a bigger engine than 3.5hp (our maximum recommended size), and the short answer is no. Although the
hull shape has the potential to be faster with more power, the extra speed 
would incur stresses that she is not designed for. Hitting even a small wave
at, say, 20 knots has a lot more than double the effect that the same
impact at 10 knots would. To withstand such forces she would need to be
more heavily built, making transport and assembly of the sections more
difficult. And, in most places that she is intended to be used, the speed
limit is much lower than she can achieve with 3.5hp.

For most people 11-12 knots is plenty - but we are now playing with the
first carbon fibre lightweight hull (which is inherently stiffer and stronger),
to see if that can achieve more.

Trio Capabilities

The Trio is much more stable than you might think, as she is relatively
flat-bottomed (in the middle) and carries her beam right out to the sides
(she has quite a "hard turn of the bilge") over much of her length. A 95kg 
person can stand at the side of the middle section without dipping the
gunwhales under, and an outboard can be installed by one person at the
stern (ie nobody counterbalancing forward) without tipping her up.
However we must point out that, like all small, open boats, her capabilities
are limited. Anybody who says otherwise is mad! She is 14ft long yes, but
developed from a canoe hull form - many "boats" of the same length will 
have two or even three times her volume. She is primarily designed for use
on sheltered inland waterways - lakes, rivers, canals, estuaries, harbours
etc - where she will provide much fun. She is not intended for use in large
waves at sea.

As a canoe she is exempt from the Recreational Craft Directive, and in any
case her beam would exempt her from the stability/buoyancy requirements.
That is a coincidence of what fits in most estate cars, not a rating dodge!

The built-in buoyancy in all three sections will keep the Trio and one adult
(weighing up to 100kg) afloat, even fully swamped. That one person can
bail her out to enable any other crew to board her (usually from the stern).
If you specify hatches in the buoyancy tanks, please ensure they are
always done up tightly. At extra cost we can foam fill the tanks and/or fit
extra buoyancy under the thwarts if you are particularly concerned about
this issue, perhaps if you have young children. Most open canoes, including
those with transoms, do not have any built-in buoyancy, so the Trio is
significantly ahead in this respect.

If you go for the lightweight hull the foam core between the carbon/kevlar skins makes it inherently buoyant, before taking the buoyancy tanks into
account, meaning that she is effectively unsinkable.

Trio as a Yacht Tender

We have had a number of enquiries about using the Trio as a yacht tender,
and can certainly see her appeal in this role. In many of the Caribbean
islands for example, if you anchor in a nice bay there is usually a river in
the corner that begs exploration. 

Her easily-driven hull means you'd only need a small, light outboard that
can be handed on/off the mother ship - much easier than the 8-15hp
lumps that most cruisers seem to use on their inflatables. And her elegant
shape will draw conversation, especially if you dispense with the outboard
and row (or sail) round the anchorage...

In practical terms the sheer (upward curve) of the Trio's bow section means
she does not store easily upside down like our Pram Dinghy, but suitable
chocks could be built to do this. We think the better alternative would be a
cradle to store her right way up, with a cover incorporating webbing straps
as a tie-down mechanism. That would make assembly of the sections easier
too. Launching her would require a four-point sling and halyard, but the
attachment points are already there (the joining bolts), and she is about
the same weight or lighter than many RIBs.

She might also fit in the "stern garage" commonly found on many larger
motor and sailing yachts. Indeed you could get two or even three Trios in
the space of one RIB...

Build Your Own Trio

If you like the idea of building a Trio yourself, there is also the option to
buy the plans for construction in cedar strip - plans are £57 plus postage.
To make the joints between the sections look "fair", the boat is built in one,
with the double bulkheads (spaced apart by a few mm) forming part of the
jig. In what will probably be one of your scariest boatbuilding moments,
when the work is complete you put a saw between the bulkheads and split
her in three...

We can supply any/all of the components you might find difficult to source
yourself, from the connecting hooks and bolts to larger items such as the
rudder or mast. Please contact us for further information.